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This pet peeve is from the Friday, February 12, 2010 broadcast of Left, Right & Center on KCRW-89.9FM.

I'd like to end a positive note and affirm the wisdom of the American people. The latest ABC/Washington Post poll shows that 3/4 of Americans support openly gays in the military across all party lines. This is unprecedented—82% Democrats, 77% Independents and even 64% Republicans support gays in the military. That is a high mark on tolerance and compassion.

Comments

Please show the link. While I do not mind gays in the military the way it is now is just fine. Why do we need to know if someone is gay or straight. I do not give a flying fuck. I do not need some person reminding me everyday they are gay. Just like I do not need some person talking about there sex life everyday. Don't ask Don't has worked well.

Don't ask don't tell may work for you, MV, given your demonstrated penchant for homophobia, but it sure as hell doesn't work for gay soldiers and their loved ones. It is a blatantly discriminatory and demeaning policy, targeting people who only want the right to risk their lives in defense of this country. The fact that this policy still exists is a blot on our countries moral record.

I work with a fair number of homosexuals and they don't remind me everyday that they're gay. In fact, most of them have never brought it up. What makes you think that a gay soldier would walk around shouting about his sexual orientation every day? That's just ridiculous! In any case, as someone who's shown strong support for a corporation's right to free speech, I'd assume you'd be against this policy which is clearly violating an individual's right to free speech.

SQ first of all they have every right to defend this country. Second why do I or any one else in the armed forces need to know if someone is gay. They don't. This is just another attempt by the left to liberalize the military. Third it is hard now to be kicked of the military if you are gay. It was when I was in. Like I said before many gays have served this country with honor. Many have retired from the military. Those gays I respect. But what the military does not need is some guy running around in the barracks in some pink undies.

You're so full of shit! Homosexuals do not have the right to defend this country in our military. That's like saying everyone has the right to steal, as long as they don't get caught. Sure, they can join the military, if they pretend to be straight, but the moment military leaders discover they're gay they'll be dishonorably discharged. That isn't right.

No one is talking about running around the barracks in pink undies. Military dress codes would still be enforced. Sexual harassment regulations would likewise be enforced, so that's a non-issue as well. No one would be rubbing your face in the fact they're gay.

You may not need to know that someone in the military is gay, but what's the big deal if you did know? Why should anyone be required to lie and actively hide their identity in order to keep from being kicked out of the military. This isn't a "liberal" issue. This is a civil rights issue. It's about living up to the constitution of the United States, even if it makes you feel a little bit uncomfortable. There are a lot of things I don't need to hear about people, but I defend their right to say it.

Ok again you are wrong they have every right to defend this country. Ya they can't go around running around in the barracks running around in the pink undies are dress like drag queens. But they can serve and you have to be a complete total idiot to get kicked out for being gay.

You may not need to know that someone in the military is gay, but what's the big deal if you did know?

You know who is gay and who is not in the military. Again you have to be a complete moron to get kicked.

Why should anyone be required to lie and actively hide their identity in order to keep from being kicked out of the military.

They are not lying they just ain't saying they are gay. In the past they had to lie. But not now no one asks. The military pretty much stays out of your private life. Gay or not. What the activist want is people to walk around while in uniform saying I am gay I am gay. No one gives a shit if you are gay or not.

What people in the military want is to know that they can drag your ass out of a firefight if you are injured. They do not need to know if you are gay or not to do that. Or that they can drag you up ladders if there is a fire on-board a ship.

What do you propose you give gays there own barracks there own berthing on ships? What then? How do you put a 19 year girl in a berthing on a ship with a bunch of lesbians? It is the same as putting that straight girl in a berthing with a bunch of men.

You ever see a young girl come up to out of berthing on a ship crying her eyes out because a bunch of lesbians made moves on her in the TV room almost forcing themselves on her? Or hear the horror stories of what goes on in those rooms? You ever have a a girl come up to you and tell you they can't watch TV without almost getting raped?

You have have a young man come up to crying in the morning because to gay guys raped him? I have and it is as bad a guy raping a girl or worse. Glad they spent time in Leavenworth.

You ever have a gay attempt rape on you when you were 14? I have. You ever been molested by a gay when you were 8? I have.

Have you ever seen what happens to families when a gay guy molests there children while baby sitting them? I have my friends son did not only did it devastate the families the father was horrified.

You ever have a school teacher that your kid was in his class molest a bunch of young boys? Ya happened with my daughters teacher the guy is still in jail. That scumbag would not give out the other names of people that were involved because they were powerful business people and the chicken shit feared for his life.

Don't-ask-don't-tell doesn't make it legal for gays to serve in the military. It just makes it harder for them to get caught breaking the law. So no, they do not have that right. Some of them just do it anyway. And some of them are able to get away with it. But if evidence of their sexual orientation comes to light, the military can and does investigate.

They are not lying they just ain't saying they are gay.

That is called lying by omission. But sometimes soldiers are required to tell flat out lies in order to hide their identities. If your shipmate asks what you did during shore leave, and you spent shore leave with your husband, but you're a man, then you sure as hell can't tell the guy what you really did, so you have to lie. That is demeaning and can get real tiring real fast.

And beyond just the need to lie, why the hell shouldn't your same-sex partner have the same spousal benefits given to heterosexual partners? That's just wrong.

What the activist want is people to walk around while in uniform saying I am gay I am gay.

Are you on crack? What activists have you been talking to? And what makes you think any gay soldier would want to do that? You have such a warped perspective on what the issue is here. We're talking about giving people the respect they deserve and the freedom of speech guarantied them in the Constitution of the United States of America.

What people in the military want is to know that they can drag your ass out of a firefight if you are injured... Or that they can drag you up ladders if there is a fire on-board a ship.

And how exactly would knowing someone's gay change that equation? Are you saying that you would leave someone to die if you knew they were gay? How fucked up is that?! They're gay. They don't have cooties. You can't catch it, you know.

What do you propose you give gays there own barracks there own berthing on ships?

No. I propose that it really isn't that hard to live in close quarters with homosexuals. I propose that soldiers can simply accept it as a fact of life. I know for a fact that a gay guy seeing me naked won't hurt me at all. And I know that a well trained soldier can deal with it.

I realize that you have a lot of baggage around this issue, MV, but again I must remind you that your experiences are insignificant in the grand scheme of things and are not representative of reality. I know you think that all homosexuals are pedophile rapists, but the facts show otherwise. A homosexual is no more likely to be a rapist than a heterosexual. That means you are far more likely to be raped by someone of the opposite sex then by someone of the same sex.

In any case, you are taking this discussion off on a major tangent. All the situations you describe have nothing to do with soldiers' sexual orientations. Rather, they are indicative of the military's poor record on preventing and dealing with sexual harassment and sexual abuse. It happens among the straight soldiers too. Much of this could be prevented if the military implemented better training in this area and instituted a zero tolerance policy toward sexual harassment. It shouldn't matter what your sex or sexual orientation is—you show your fellow soldiers respect.

What do you want SQ the military become the Catholic Church?

No. Much like the military, open homosexuality isn't allowed in the Catholic Church either. I want the military to stop acting like the Catholic Church and adopt a more humanistic approach to national defense.